Look, Bryce Underwood is progressing. But football is hard, and it’s particularly hard on the QB, and it’s really hard on freshmen QBs. The Northwestern, Maryland, and OSU defenses have all the film from every angle and are in the part of the season when the unit knows what their jobs are.
So, throwing in wrinkles and looks doesn’t put extra on their plates. It’s just frippery and window dressing to mess with Underwood. Even in passing downs, Northwestern is going to stay with their four-man front with a zone behind it, but put their linebackers into the “A” gaps, have the nickel tight to the line of scrimmage, or creep their corners up. It’s probably going to be a version of Tampa Two with the short passes and check-downs open.
Progress would be Bryce Underwood setting up the protection or adjusting the formation to counter the blitz, then adjusting the receiver routes to find holes in the zone. But we’re probably still some time away from a fully actualized Underwood. What could Michigan football do that still puts him in control and capitalizes on the offense’s many strengths?
Go against personnel and formation tendencies
Everyone knows that Michigan football is going to run the football, and defenses are scheming so that they’ll have the answers based on down and distance, personnel, and formation. For example, Captain Ben Bredeson is on the sideline. Gotta be a pass. Or multiple tight ends with Bredeson motioning? Gotta be a run. But if the offense goes against these assumptions, it’ll mess with the defense’s minds. If they can’t trust their eyes, they can’t fly around. Here are two examples where Chip Lindsey can use their scouting against them.
Obviously, a run play
- Personnel: the very rare “14 package,” three tight ends with a fullback (Bredeson) and a running back.
- Formation: tackle over with the two tight ends on the extra tackle side, QB under center, and Bredeson motioning to the “short side” (the side with just a guard and a tight end.)
- Defense reaction: Running around getting guys to counter the formation.
- Play: Fake a hand off to the running back towards the extra tackle/long side, the inline tight end runs a post pattern down the middle of the field (first passing option), the wing tight end runs a shallow cross (check down), and the short side tight end runs a corner (second option). Bredeson is “Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost, the magical rainbow bridge” and won’t let anything through or be the lead blocker if the QB takes off down the sideline.
Obviously, a pass play
- Personnel: four wide outs and a running back.
- Formation: shotgun, three receiver bunch on the boundary side, senior Donaven McCulley on the field side, and running back next to the QB on the field side.
- Defense reaction: The focus is McCulley, therefore a hybrid zone or a bracket on McCulley.
- Play: QB straightens up and looks towards McCulley then hands it to the running back running towards the boundary side. The bunch receivers block down, and the center pulls to kick out the end.
Check to the outside zone run
The Michigan football offense has been very successful with running plays such as “Duo” (double team the two tackles), split zone (bring Bredeson against the line movement to block the end), or counter (running back steps one way then runs the opposite way, following Bredeson, who blocks the end). The outside zone run is difficult to master because the entire offensive line moves laterally together to block horizontally, stressing the defense's perimeter. The running back reads the flow of the play and aims for an initial point outside the tight end, but cuts back upfield if the defense overpursues to the outside. It’s difficult because of the precision and coordination from the linemen and the running back's vision and decision-making. However, Michigan has been successful with this play this year.
In a passing down, the secondary is communicating about their coverage, and the linemen are champing at the bit to get up field and crush the QB. Have the QB check to an outside zone run! Because the offense’s blocking is to take the d-line where they want to go (escorting them post-haste), the gaps will quickly appear.
RPO
Run-pass option is where the QB “reads” or looks at a specific defensive player (usually a linebacker) and depending on what he does, hands the ball to the running back or throws a short pass to the receiver. The line blocks as a run play, which forces the defense to commit, creating opportunities for either the run or the pass. This play creates confusion for the defense and simplifies decision-making for the quarterback.
Michigan football has run this play a few times to middling success. But Northwestern is a zone coverage team, and it’s hard to defend when you're dropping into your area instead of running with the receiver. Michigan should add a QB run to it, giving the defense another very real threat to think about. And when the defense is thinking, that split second could be all the difference the Wolverines need.
Development comes in fits and starts
Brice Marich on X tweeted: “#Michigan OC Chip Lindsey says he likes the growth of QB Bryce Underwood thus far this season and calls him a football fanatic. He adds that he was in the building last night watching film of third down plays and how to improve in that area.”
Oftentimes, development is not linear. It doesn’t come in a graceful upward curve, but as a reaction to a disruption or negative event. Preparing for these types of events means having a back up plan. And if it means doing something you’re already good at when it’s not expected, then successful execution is a win for everybody. If there are enough wins, then the reward will be a spot in the playoffs.